To be fair, it’s not much of a recipe, rather just an idea to share.
My boy is on a restricted diet, which is beyond being a picky eater. He has sensory issues with food, with lots of food groups. Therefore he’s almost exclusively on a diet consisting of pizza, pasta with tomato sauce, cheese and cereal. On good days he eats the ham hidden between the cheese slices in his sandwich and drinks some smoothies. That’s not much to work with when you’re trying to feed him with healthy food. So I try everything to sneak some extra goodness into his food whenever I can.
I was making pizzas the other day, as I was testing a healthy new product, so I thought if I can make a tomato sauce with extra added vegetables for his pasta, I can do the same for his pizza. Because when we’re talking about him literally living on pizza, we’re only talking about one kind of pizza only: Margherita. Tomato sauce and lots of cheese.
Anyway, getting back to the pizza sauce, the only tricky thing is really, that you don’t want to overuse the extra vegetables. The golden rule is: the pizza sauce should look like and taste like a pizza sauce. In other words: keep it red – ish and it shouldn’t taste as broccoli. Other than that: be creative, you can use up any piece of veg left in the fridge!
Here’s what I used:
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, crushed
700ml passata
1 small/medium bell pepper, chopped
1/2 of a large courgette, halved and sliced
1 tsp of dried oregano
1 tsp of dried basil
1 tbsp of olive oil
Few leaves of fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Fry the onions for 5 minutes on the oil in a medium pan. Use low heat all the way through. Add all the veggies you’re wanting to use along with the spices. Cover the pan and let them soften for 15 minutes. Then, pour the passata over it and cook it under a lid for another 15 minutes. When it’s ready, let it cool down a bit. Use a blender to get a smooth texture.
It keeps for 5-6 days in the fridge and of course you can freeze it too. Make a few batches since you’re cooking it anyway, in order to keep some weekday dinners less complicated and stressful, but still healthy and hearty.
You can also build our own pizza oven that will make it truly unique!
Comments
We do this too, a simple veg packed tomato sauce, perfect for all sorts of recipes, we have served ours with chicken and rice and used as a base for bolognese and soup too.
Yes, great ideas there for further use. X
I’m a big fan of batch cooking so this is a recipe I can add to the list. It makes things so much easier and is a great time saver.
Batch cooking is a must with children! Thanks x
We really enjoy making pizzas. Your recipe is different to ours. Sounds delicious. I think I’ll try this one, sounds fab! I’d have never thought of putting courgette in it ?
Courgette hasn’t got a harsh taste, so hides well.?
This looks absolutely delicious and I am going to try making it straight away. I don’t have children but I find it hard to get vegetables into my own diet as I am not a huge fan so this sounds like a great idea oh and I love pizza so its a win win
Haha! I hardly know anyone who doesn’t like pizza! ?
Ooh yes!! I LOVE sauces where I can sneak in a load of goodness and my kids will never know, even more so when it’s on a pizza! I am so going to try this tomorrow! xx
I love making my own pizza or pasta sauce, it’s so much more flavorsome and healthier than the ones you buy in the stores. I like that you added courgettes, they give such a nice flavour to tomato based dishes.
I do similar to this with my chilli (add kidney beans , chillis etc) or with spag Bol. Great way to hide the veg in the sauce. Never used similar on a pizza though as I normally slap on tomato purée. Will have to try this x
I never thought of the chilli, but I haven’t made one in the last few years (kids won’t eat it) but maybe this winter I’ll treat hubby to one ☺️
This sounds super yummy! I am on quite a restricted diet also and I can’t wait to make this to try and add some extra flavours and goodness! Do not worry about his diet, I am a nursery nurse and I have worked with so many kids who just need to do it in their own time and gradually come round to eating other foods. Slowly but surely!
Oh thanks for your kind reassurance! Well, I hope that too. Unfortunately even my second born is started to be picky too in spite of all my efforts ?
Such a great idea! I’ve been looking for some new recipes to add for autumn, this would be great to make on a Sunday for the week ahead 🙂
And because pizza is always a good idea x
Oh wow! This sounds heavenly, a great way to sneak some veg in for the kids
Thanks ☺️
I love using courgettes in my pizza and pasta sauces. They go really well with tangy tomatoes. I must try this recipe out. I’m sure my kids would love it.
I completely agree! I love using them too.
Oh this looks delicious. I do love anything tomato base. I shall be saving this to give it a try #humpdaylinky
I love tomato in every form too. Thanks for the nice comment x
We make our own pizzas every week, but have to admit we cheat with the sauce. You’ve inspired me to have a go at my own 🙂
Thank you x
Fab little recipe! My girls love a pizza, It’s our go to treat night dinner. I keep threatening to make my own but don’t get round to it. When I do I will give this sauce a go! Thanks xx
I have a pizza base recipe too if you want to make your pizza from scratch Xx
Pizza and pasta sauces are great for hiding veg in. I have a reluctant veg eater so I cram loads in his favourite meal: lasagna, and he’s none the wiser. Mwhahahahah! 😀
Evil mummy laugh ??? love that!
Oh MY GOSH!
Thank you so much for this post, my son is such a selective eater BUT he loves pizza.
This sauce looks like such a fab way to get some sneaky veg in his diet, I have noticed a pre made one I got him recently had carrots hidden in the base! FAB IDEA!
I can almost SMELL this sauce & now I’m absolutely starving, can I make it just to eat it myself? haha
I know that feeling! And I torture myself by reading fantastic recipes all the time, looking for new ideas to try?
Oh yum! This looks really amazing. I will have to give it a go for my veg-o-phobe 12 year old. If I hide it he will eat it.
Great idea! 🙂
It definitely worked with my two veg-o-phobes!
Hahah, that’s a cute way of sneaking some veggies in his pizza. I will definitely try your recipe and come back with the results. Thank you! ^_^
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Perfect timing with this post. I am planning on doing some homemade pizza with my daughter this weekend and this is a great idea! Thanks for linking up with the #FabFridayPost
Oh Wow! You are so cleaver! And this looks absolutely delicious!! When can you come round to my house please? 😉 x
Thank you so much for linking up with us on #FabFridayPost
Rhanks for the invite Su ☺️ I know you’re a fantastic cook though! X
We’re right off veggies here at the moment so I do this too – honestly it’s a total lifesaver!
thanks for linking to #foodiefriday
Tell me about it. Both of mine are so picky!
Ooo this is so good! I always make pizza sauce, but just a really basic one. I love this! #foodiefriday
Thanks Donna x